TV For Foodies

While the Food Network is okay (honestly, how much Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives can one person take?), and PBS only runs its excellent cooking shows but once a week (and even then they’re often disrupted by fundraising telethons), I’ve been a bit bored watching TV. But now I can finally get my cooking show fix with the fun and cringe-worthy antics on season 2 of W Network’s Come Dine With Me Canada.

This British-born and Canadian-raised reality show pits five strangers, each an amateur chef, against each other for a week of back-to-back dinner parties whereby each host cooks up their idea of the perfect evening. Snappily narrated by radio personality Jamie Carr, each dinner comes complete with appetizer, main course, dessert, wine and entertainment. Meanwhile, the guests get drunk, smack-talk, and check out the host’s underwear drawers. Tenderloin burns and cakes flop, friendships bloom and enemies are made. In other words, terrifically delicious entertainment!

And the best part? After dinner, each competitor rates the host’s performance (just like real life!) and at the end of the week, the host with the most votes is crowned the winner and awarded the ‘ultimate dinner party host’ title and the very Canadian cash prize of $1,000.

Below are some photos from the first dinner party from this season’s premiere episode, hosted by Mary Newton.